Toyota Cup Japan 2005
– IFFHS International Clubs' Rank (below)
– Final Match + related & curious details (page 2)
2005 Best Ranked:
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Below is an interesting conclusion to the previous pages on the FIFA Club World Championship Toyota Cup Japan 2005. However not official in the way FIFA's ranks are, the IFFHS's 2005 World Rank for Clubs allows a healthy complementary view: Clubs that have been very successful along the year, but have not been under the spotlight of the Championship in Japan, are here given due international recognition. Liverpool, in fact, who was the favorite for the 2005 FIFA's Cup won by São Paulo, leads the list below, confirming why it was considered the favorite. A few complementary comments follow the list containing the top twenty Clubs, below.
Although South American Squads have conquered one more World Cup than
European Squads, when it comes to individual Teams (Clubs), Europe is clearly
ahead! – notably, Spain, this year (2005), has been the European country
with the highest number of team entries (9) on the IFFHS rank,
among the first 100!
Following Spain, come Italy and Brazil (8 entries among the first 100),
then England, France, and Germany, with seven entries, each.
There are only two South American teams listed above, however,
(joint 7, and 12 – the former from Brazil, the latter from Argentina).
The next best South American team is Fluminense Football Club
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), ranking 22, at the closing of 2005. There are,
in addition, six other South American teams, among the next
twenty – these teams are from Paraguay, Argentina, Chile & Brazil.
Admittedly, this is a very modest tally, in face of the number of
European teams on the list.
———————————footnote:
At (dated 13 Apr 2006), on above-ranked club Fluminense–in the context of the newly started 2006 Brazilian League Championship: Fluminense will lead the Rio challenge, and few would argue that the Laranjeiras outfit's gaffer, Oswaldo de Oliveira, will have one of the most talented casts at his disposal. Serbian ace Petkovic will continue to pull the strings in midfield, and in 18-year-old Lenny, Fluminense have unearthed a genuine super-talent.
To be totally accurate and fair, along with Lenny, above mentioned, FIFA's article would have likewise mentioned Marcelo, another 18-year old player, and Arouca, one year older. Marcelo is a Roberto-Carlos-style left-wing who has also played in the youth National Squad, whereas Arouca is a 19-year old mid-fielder, who was appointed the revelation of the 2005 Brazilian league championship. Hard to say who is the best among these three youngsters, all of whom have come to the proffessional team from Fluminense's own soccer school. Incidentally, 's soccer school for youngsters is one of the best in the country. (A recent article on what was referred to as Fluminense's Soccer University carried an for information.)
Additional information, as a token of curiosity: Fluminense is the Brazilian club in Carlos Alberto Parreira's heart (Brazil's coach in 2006). At the start of his successful career, Parreira was Fuminense's physical trainer (a function he fulfilled also in the 1970 Champion Brazilian squad, in Mexico). Later on, he moved up to managing Fluminense's team, which he has done, very successfully, for a number of years, leading the club to many titles. Parreira has once managed Corinthians' team (2002), likewise leading them to significant conquests. There have now been rumors in Brazil that, independently of the outcome of the 2006 World Cup, Parreira will once again take over Fluminense's team's command (currently under Oswaldo de Oliveira, cited in FIFA's quote, above). Time will tell... (see on Parreira's planned stepping down from Brazil's command–though they of course do not seem aware of the above-mentioned ongoing rumors, in Brasil.)
External links to soccer clips: [1] the above young players in action (incl. two goals scored by Lenny): Marcelo (jersey #6), Lenny (jersey #7), and Arouca (jersey #8 in 2006, #11 in 2005) can be seen in action – or (best match moments missing from this second clip, but far better quality image); [2] one of ( , better image quality, but Real Player format, instead of Windows Media); [3] another of (great goal, Ronaldinho style!); [4] one of ; [5] another , this one scored by Petkovic, and by him (jersey #8 in 2005, #10 in 2006). Also available, on-line: showing a small collection of Fluminense's recent goals.
Here are 's home & away colors (helpfull when watching the clips): vertical green⁄white⁄maroon-red stripes + (usually) white shorts, alternatively maroon-red shorts (home), or all white (away-1), or all maroon-red (away-2). Also helpful to know: Petkovic is nicknamed "Pet," in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil–pronounced "Péh-tchee."
Pls. note: the above clips require flash, Windows Media, or Real Player–orange cameras, above.
Many more clips of Fluminense's goals are (courtesy ), most in Real Player format, including goals by celebrated Brazilian squad players, such as Romário's, Rivelino's, and Gerson's goals, among a number of others.
July-2006Update: Eighteen-year old Marcelo (who has been playing in the Brazilian U-20 team, along with Lenny, above-cite) is reportedly close to being negotiated with the CSKA Moskov club.
2006
World Cup
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